Cognac&Blues

Cognac is a brandy made from white wine using double distillation in the region of Charentes provinces in the South West of France. Blues is a Negro folk music characterized by minor harmonies, typically slow tempo, and melancholy words. (Webster's'79) The Mississippi Delta in the USA is believed to be the place where the blues originated some hundred years ago. Many scholars believe that its birthplace was at the Dockery Farms in northern Mississippi between the two rivers, Mississippi and Yazoo. Early blues musicians like Charley Patton, Tommy Johnson and Willie Brown came from there. And then there were Muddy Waters from Clarksdale, Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) from Helena, Arkansas, Son House and Robert Johnson from Robinsville. And, of course, there were other musicians from the Delta: Howlin'Wolf, James Cotton, Willie Dixon, Memphis Minnie, John Lee Hooker, Elmore James, Bukka White, Albert King, B.B. King, Jimmy Reed, Houston Stackhouse. The conditions that gave birth to the blues; poverty, racism and working environment have changed for the better since than. But the music, the blues, continues to this day in an almost unchanged format.

As the musicians played and the juke joints were moving, both the public and the musicians were drinking. And for years now, in the southern USA, the birthplace of blues, Cognac is the preferred drink. Thus when six years ago, Clairette Bord and Michel Rolland of the City of Cognac organized the first Blues Passions Festival it was bound to be a great success. Ever increasing audiences and the top musicians are making Blues Passions an unprecedented winner. There are many attempts to associate Cognac: with cigars, with thriller films, with tonic but it is the Cognac&Blues association that seems to be a winning combination.

Many of this year's Blues Passions musicians acknowledge being influenced by famous blues musicians of yesteryear; John Mooney to Son House, Eugene Hideaway to B.B. King, Buddy Guy to Slim Harpo, Dana Gillespie to Eartha Kitt and Magic Slim; Otis Grand to T Bone Walker, Angelina & J.C. Grimshaw to Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey and Memphis Minnie; and Doctor John to Professor Longhair. So the blues is in good hands, the tradition lives on and it is all happening in the City of Cognac each July and August.

Many Cognac producers have used blues, rhythm&blues and its cousin jazz in promoting and even developing product lines with those labels; Cognac Camus, Cognac Dobbe, Cognac Hennessy, Cognac D. du Veron are among them.

It is worth noting that the region of Cognac is into the blues, year around. A quick look at the juke joints like Tina's Cafe in Meschers, Les Gabariers in St.Simeux, Le Ladybird in Brossac, L'Union in Jarnac and L'Alambic in Barbezieux confirms that. Gourville Blues Band, Spice Blues, Kaviki Blues Band,         Lance and Donna, Lucky 7, Badge, Smashed Potatoes, Mississippi Mud, Blues and the Trouble, Nico Wayne Toussaint, Swamp Cats, Cadi Joe, Philippe Menard, Bagatel', Night Visitors, The Eight Killer's Blues Brothers, Kolargol Brothers, Road 66, Jerry Coleman and Soul Glow are making blues a year around affair in the Charentes region of Cognac. And a glass of Cognac goes well at those juke joints in a slow tempo of the blues.

And when you live in France and are interested in blues, don't forget Blues Magazine. It is a great read with a glass of Cognac, of course. (The Jazz and Blues Lover's Guide to the U.S. by Christiane Bird, Torula News)

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Dana Gillespie&London Blues Band - more of a boogie woogie rock'n'roll bar band that should stay away from playing blues. Although imitation is a form of flattery, Ms Gillespie's blues imitations are well below average but Dino Baptiste piano work was a stand out.

Brasshoppers - they transports you, musically, into the streets of New Orleans with fun, good music and good entertaining. a well executed act.

Malted Milk Blues Band - good attempt to play blues with roots in Robert Johnson, Little Walter, Freddy King and B.B. King. More exposure will help this band to reach the next level.

Rag Mama Rag - pleasant to listen to although Debra's voice is not for public singing while her harmonica playing is. Ashley's guitar work is impressive making it a good country blues package heavily influenced by the 20s and 30s.

Franck Ash - good, solid bluesman, heavily influenced by the Delta music with solid Chicago blues touches.

Talk That Talk - Herve, Vincent and Dany are Perigeaux region based. They are alive with soul, blues and energy proving that French can play blues and that blues knows no borders.

Janice daRosa - interesting and talented performer of an afro blues music with strong hints of Spanish music. A mix bag lacking focus but khora instrument sound good.

Syl Johnson - good West Coast blues with lots of soul and funk. Great show.

Toubib Jazz Band - nearly all medical doctors from Toulouse are quality musicians bringing memories of Haricort Rouge and Satchmo. Entertaining, quality music under the leadership of Dr. Trumpet (Philippe Arlet) with some outstanding playing by Dr. Trombone. Toubib is a French slang word for doctor.

Last Call - their home is at the Crossroads Cafe in Antwerp, Belgium. They play very well and they create a musical show worthy of musicians of yesteryear whose music the play; from the Delta to Texas blues. The name of the band comes from the bar call for the last service but to them is also the beginning of the real party.

Lucky Peterson - in his own words, his music is about love, happiness, booze and peace. And he delivers it very well; behind the keyboard or with the guitar. The best segment was the journey through the old blues classics Hennessy PureWhite fitted well with Lucky Peterson music.

Mr. Tschang & Easy Money - on the way to recovery from his car accident, Mr. Tschang plays with style, energy influenced by Texas blues. a tough act to follow.

Dr. John

Honorary President

Kelly Joe Phelps - folk blues done well.

Keith Brown - an acoustic guitar and his interpretation of the '20 and '30s Delta music of Robert Johnson, Son House etc. A solid performance sponsored by Hennessy Single Distillery products while cruising lazy river Charente.

Otis Grand and his Big Blues Band - big sound, big blues and big players; a well put together performance that makes you want to dance.

Eugene Hideway Bridges - he rock them, he blues them, he set the stage for the Great One but at the same time he offered a very good blues act.

Dr John - There was an electricity in the air, the press was full of anticipation as was the public and when he walked in slowly, swinging    majestically to a gris-gris silence, he is slimmer, touch older full of presence. When he touched the piano and kept at it for nearly 2 hours it was pure magic; from Professor Longhair to Chopin, Duke Ellington. A musical feast unheard previously in Cognac. Dr. John aka Mac Rebennack is an act in a class of its own. A night of Courvoisier Cognacs brought comparisons of Napoleon and Dr. John; both extraordinary personalities.

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Interviews

Patrick Delaunay

TN: Why do you paint blues personalities?

Patrick Delaunay: Blues is my passion.

TN: Have you ever been to the Mississippi Delta?

Patrick Delaunay: No, regretfully never. I paint from images seen in photos, in the press.

TN: Is Blues present in your book "Chiens" ?

Patrick Delaunay: Yes, of course. I wrote about "Blues Dirty Old Blues", Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon.

TN: Is it available in English?

Patrick Delaunay: Not yet, it was just published in October 1998.

Christian Gualdi

TN: Why particularly this kind of music?

Christian Gualdi: I'm  a musician as well and  I find Cajun or Zydeco music  very rythmic that is good to play, to dance and to listen too.

TN: Who is your favorite Zydeco musician?

Christian Gualdi: Clifton Chanier but also Queen Ida and other groups.

TN: What is the future of Cajun music in france?

Christian Gualdi: I think it is very as more and more French listen to Cajun music. They are discovering it musically but also because of the language. I'm optimistic.

TN: Will there be a Cajun version of Blues Passions?

Christian Gualdi: Oh, but there is. 6th Nuit Cajuns in Saulieu (21) between 6-8 August this year. Many musicians participate in it. Among them are Alex Bernard&the Zydeco Alligators (Germany), Chère Alice and Trans Bayou Express (France), Acadian Ramblers (Holland), Bobby Michot & Cajun Friends (USA).

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C03 August 1999                                                                   Copyright © 2000 Lusina ISG, Inc.